MGTO to resume ‘Macao Week’ in September

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is set to resume its in-person promotional campaigns with visits to different regions after the city’s coronavirus outbreak in mid-June put the program on ice.

The campaign is set to kick off as border restrictions have eased and foreign passport holders from the mainland are now allowed to enter Macau quarantine-free under the same conditions as the mainland. 

The first roadshow, named “Experience Macao, Unlimited,” will launch in late August, with a second titled “Shandong—Qingdao Macao Week” to start in early September.

The MGTO, in conjunction with Macau tourism enterprises, mainland e-commerce platforms, online travel agencies and others, will arrange nine weekends from August to December, visiting nine cities in the Guangdong-
Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area to hold the “Experience Macao, Unlimited” roadshow.

The cities to be visited are Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Foshan and Dongguan. 

The first stop will be Aoyuan Plaza in Zhuhai City on August 27. 

In addition, several government entities from Macau as well as other enterprises and commercial associations will collaborate to hold the first “Macao Week” this year, namely the “Shandong—Qingdao Macao Week” from September 8 to 12. 

The show was cancelled this year due to the pandemic crisis in the neighboring region in the first half of the year.

“The event showcases Macau’s featured elements, such as tourism, trade and commerce, culture and creativity, sports, entertainment and [shows] more dimensions of local industries and residents,” the MGTO said in a statement.

The tourism sector was dealt a huge blow due to the pandemic situation last month, with only 9,759 visitors arriving, a drop of 98.9% year-on-year and the lowest figure since the pandemic started in early 2020.

In the first seven months of 2022, the number of visitor arrivals dropped by 26.3% year-on-year to 3,474,866.